SALT LAKE CITY, UT – July 9: Ajay Mitchell #25 of the Oklahoma City Thunder passes away … (+)
The Oklahoma City Thunder enter the 2024-25 season with a strong roster as the franchise looks to win its first championship in OKC. Not only do the Thunder have several star players ready to take the lead today, but they also have several younger players who are still developing.
Since the NBA introduced the two-way contract, Oklahoma City has been one of the most successful teams to make the most of this opportunity. The Thunder have a history of signing highly effective two-way players, some of whom have ultimately been converted to full-time contracts and become key parts of the rotation at the NBA level – Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins being the most prominent examples.
While originally only one pair of players could be signed to a team at a time, franchises are now allowed to sign three players to these two-way contracts.
Last season, the Thunder had Olivier Sarr, Keyontae Johnson and Adam Flagler on two-way contracts. Next season, that trio will look very different, as Flagler will return on a two-way contract alongside rookies Ajay Mitchell and Alex Ducas.
While players who play both ways generally don’t make a big impact at the NBA level, let’s take a look at what each of Oklahoma City’s three players on this contract could contribute in the 2024-25 season.
Ajay Mitchell
The Thunder’s star two-way player is Ajay Mitchell, who was selected as number 38 in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft. At 6’4″, the former Santa Barbara star can play both guard positions and has the potential to be a valuable role player at the NBA level.
Mitchell can make an impact in small spurts as a rookie, as he can adjust his role at any time to suit the team’s needs. He’s a dynamic scorer who can score points at all three levels. He’s proven to be an effective off-ball threat, but he’s also dished out more than four assists per game in his three college seasons, proving his ability as a lead guard. Whether he’s scoring or filling in off the bench in limited appearances for the Thunder, Mitchell has the tools to contribute in year one if given the opportunity.
Adam Flagler
The most experienced of the two-way players in terms of number of professional minutes is Adam Flagler, who was a key part of the OKC Blue’s run to the G League Finals and secured a championship last season. Before that, he was an undrafted guard from Baylor, where he also won a championship at the collegiate level.
Flagler provides stability as a bench point guard, is smart with the ball and generally makes few mistakes. As a high-use player last season in the G League, he had more than 3.5 times as many assists as turnovers. He can also score quickly, converting more than 40% of his threes for the Blues.
Alex Ducas
At this point, Ducas is the most interesting of the three players on two-way contracts in OKC, as he has yet to play a single minute in a Thunder uniform. The 23-year-old Australian winger is an undrafted rookie out of Saint Mary’s and has five college seasons under his belt, but missed the entire NBA Summer League due to injury.
Ducas brings his long-range shooting ability and size. At 6’10” and a 42.5% three-point percentage on nearly six attempts in his final two college seasons, that’s a clear core skill that could prove valuable in certain situations this coming season. He won’t be part of the rotation, but if injuries occur or the Thunder need more space, Ducas could be an interesting option.
With the Thunder still having a spot on the 15-man roster, it wouldn’t be out of the question that one of these players could get a full-time contract next season. Especially in training camp and the early stages of the NBA season before G-League play begins, it will be important for each of Mitchell, Flagler and Ducas to prove that they bring something that could be of value to the Thunder.
